But what does "critical" actually mean? There are many definitions, presumably the ones intended would be:

7. Being in or verging on a state of crisis or emergency.8. Fraught with danger or risk; perilousHow can you describe as "perilous" or "fraught with danger" a sitution which for all the headlines and infringements on our civil liberties has failed to kill ANYONE in a country of 60 million people since 7th July 2005?

As a Whitehall source explained to the BBC: "If it [the terror alert] moves to critical, you should worry". Presumably the road traffic alert is "super-uber-critical" and the correct response to the violence against women alert is to "fucking panic"?